Bottle closure



March 29, 1949. L.. M. MALLICK BOTTLE CLOSURE Filed Dec. 29, 1945 1:?- I llllllllll Patented Mar. 29, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOTTLE. CLOSURE Leo M. .Mallick, Chicago, Ill.

Application December 29, 1945, Serial No. 638,031v

iCla m. (Cl. 215-175) This invention relates to a bottle closure, and more particularly to a bottle closure which permits pouring of the contents of the bottle automatically upon the tilting of the bottle to ,pouring posiion. The invention will also be'found applicable to other types of bottle closures and closures for containers.

This application constitutes a continuationin-part of my co-pendingapplication Serial-No. 614,097, filed September, 1945,,forBottle closure, now Patent No. 2,437,882, dated March 16, 1948.

In the pouring of liquids froma bottle through abottle closure having an, automatic sealtherein, it is found that bubbles; collect, in the outlet passage, and the burstingoi the bubbles causes the liquid on reachingthe outlet chamber to. be splashed through a number of the -outlet openings in tead of fiowing evenly and quietly out of the outlet ports. A further disadvantage with closures of the abovettype is that the cork around the inlet end of the fitting, which clings to the bottle after use, does not grip or ,hold the closure fitting itself so that there is a tendency for the fitting, which may be "relatively heavy, to slip out of the cork sleeve during the pouring operation.

An object of the invention is to'overcome the above disadvantages by providing a new type of bottle closure. Another object is to provide means for preventing the lateral splashing of liquid from the outlet ports of a bottle closure through the use of means in the inlet portion of the passage whereby bubbles arebroken and a smooth even flow of liquid produced. A- further object is to provide a bottle closure device equipped with means for locking the closure fitting tightly to the bottle neck through means of the resilient sleeve. Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment by the accompanying drawing, in

Figure 1 isa side view inelevation of a-bottle closure embodying my invention, a portion of the drawing being broken away around the cork or resilient sleeve; Fig. 2, a vertical sectional view of the closure fitting shown applied to the neck of a bottle; Fig. 3, a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the bottle inclined to pouring position; and Fig. 4, an end view showing the inlet portion of the closure fitting.

In the illustration given, It designates a casing member formed of aluminum or other suit able material and provided with a drain passage H extending therethrough. The lower portion shoulder I9 within the valve chamber member I? .2 of the. casing it provides a tubular member [2 receiving a sealing sleeve I3 of cork-or any other suitable resilient orsealing material, thesleeve being effective in providingan airtight sealwith.

the bottle neck Hi.

In order to prevent fitting ID. from slipping out of the sleeve I3, I providethe outer portion of the member H! with isnurling E2 as indicated in Fig. 1. With-this structure, when the, casing I0 is; pressed to the: position shown-.in I

Fig. Lathe sleeve I3 is pressed inwardly so that portions of it extend within thespacesor-inten' stices provided by, the knurling l2 and thus make it impossible for the member, to slip-out of the sleevel l3. Preferably, the knurled portion l2 is slightly-raised aboveltheadjacent portions ofthe outer surface of memberlZ-andthis increases the interlock described.

With the above-described structure, underthe pressure exertedupon sleeve 13 it: is substantially impossible to draw the member 42- outwardly withoutat thesame time drawing the sleeve l3 out; ofthe neck M of the bottle. When ,the assembledstructure is completely outof the bottle, the cork or sleeve. I3 may be removed with ease because there iswnoy longer any inward pressure against the corkwhich; interlocks it--.with the knurling l2.

The upper part-of the casingHL provides a valve-seat l5 adapted to, receive a -ball l6 of Monel metal; stainless steel, or: any other suitable -material,' to providel an airtight seal with the seat 15.

A; crown member H provides with the upper enlargement of casing:lilayalvechamben E8 inand the shoulder cooperates with the ports 2| in providing a support for the ball it when the bottle is tilted to pouring position, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3.

The casing it is provided with a plurality of grooves w which enable the lip of the glass or container to be engaged during the pouring operation with the ports 2!, thus at difierent distances from the lip.

3 In order to provide at all times a full flow from the bottle with a sufi'icient vent for the inflow of air, while at the same time enabling the bottle to be turned at any position during the pouring position, I provide the member I! with pouring and vent apertures 2| which extend all the way around the structure. Thus, a vent 2| on the lower side of the structure, when tilted to pouring position,

serves as a conduit for the outfiow of liquid, while the vent diametrically opposed thereto is completely open to the atmosphere, and it, together with the adjacent openings, permits the full inflow of air into the bottle along the upper side of the drain passage II.

The ports or openings 2| are arranged circumferentially and can receive the ball valve 16 no matter in what direction the bottle is tilted. At the same time, the shoulder I9, which extends above the openings 2|, provides a raised rest against the ball IE to steady it and hold it in position against fluctuating movements during the pouring operation.

In order to avoid the forming of bubbles within the passage II, and thus to prevent the subsequent splashing of liquid laterally through the openings in the pourin operation, I provide a foam or bubble breaker member 22 which is preferably frictionally held within the inlet tube l2 of the casing and which provides air spaces 23 about a central liquid passage. The air spaces 23 permit the free flow of air into the bottle at the inlet and aid in preventing foam. The member 22 may be a simple hexagonal nut having its corner portions pressed tightly against the tubular inlet portion member l2 and having flow 1 spaces 23 extending between such points of contact, as shown best in Fig. 4. The member 22 is provided with a large central openin 24 through which the main body of liquid may pass.

In the operation of the structure, when the bottle is turned to pouring position, as shown in Fig. 3, the liquid surges toward the opening of the tubular member l2, but the foaming bubbles are apparently broken down by the member 22 and a quiescent stream passes through the central opening 24 and no substantial splashing during the pouring of the liquid occurs.

What the complete scientific explanation of the operation in preventing the splashin of the liquid during the pouring may be, I am not sure, and I understand that such explanation is not required. It may be that the structure completely breaks down bubbles that would otherwise be formed in the passage and that this prevents the splashing which would otherwise occur as the liquid leaves the pouring chamber. It may be that the breaking up of the passage of the member 12 into separate passages reduces the friction between air and liquid and produces a quiescent flow. Whatever the explanation, the fact is that the structure described produces a quiescent fiow of liquid through the closure and that substantially no splashing occurs as it leaves the outlet chamber l1.

After liquid has been poured from the bottle and the bottle is restored to its normal vertical position, the ball [6 leaves the recess 19 or opening 2| and returns to the valve seat I 5, thus closing off access of air to the contents in the interior of the bottle.

The fitting 22 may be secured within the inlet member l2 by any suitable means. I have found that an excellent combination can be provided by simply pressing the fitting 23 within the passage [2, the fitting 23 having its points, as shown best in Fig. 4, extending tightly against the walls of the passage and preferably cutting into the walls. By using an aluminum member [2 and an aluminum member 22, I find that the two parts, under pressure, form a scoring which provides a tenacious interlock between the two parts, preventing their separation.

While in the foregoing specification, I have set forth many details of structure as illustrative of one embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that such details may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

In a bottle closure, comprising a casing having a passage therethrough and providing a valve outlet chamber communicating with said passage, said outlet chamber having a series of openings therein through which liquid may pass from the chamber, said casing providing also a valve seat at the outlet end of said passage, a ball valve in said valve seat, and a hexagonal ring secured within the end of said passage opposite said valve sea't,'said ring having a central circular flow passage and providing between it and the passage walls a series of spaced openings for the flow of liquid therethrough.

LEO M. MALLICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Newton Apr. 8, 1862 Hall Sept. 13, 1864 Cristadoro Apr. 17, 1877 Newton Jan. 3, 1882 Bergman Aug. 7, 1894 Wagner Jan. 5, 1904 Flynn July 5, 1904 Scott Apr. 28, 1908 Colvin Aug. 2, 1910 Bradshaw Sept. 16, 1919 Schmidt Oct. 21, 1924 Stephany Oct. 24, 1939 Ulanet May 5, 1942 Skar Oct. 2, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain May 28, 1907 Great Britain May 3, 1938 Number 

